Apparatus for chemical reactions



Dec. 16, 1930. 'r. GRISWOLD; JR 1,785,080

APPARATUS FOR CHEMICAL REACTIONS Filed Jan. 27, 1927 2 Sheet-Sh eet 1.jgi Q I INVENTOR.

% A 7:50am: nisam/JJP ATTORNEYS.

Dec. 16, 1930. TJGR ISWOLD JR 0 APPARATUS FOR CHEHICAL REACTION 5 FiledJan. 27. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYJ.

. Patented 16,1930

" UNITED STATES PATENT ore-ice THOMAS GBISWOID, .13., OF MIDLAND,MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE DOW CHEHICAL COMPANY, OF MIDLAND, MICHIGAN,v ACORPORATION 01' v AIPAIBATUS FOB CHEMICAL REACTIONS MICHIGAN Applicationfiled January 27, 1827. Serial No. 188,828.

This invention relates to apparatus for chemical reactions where thereis a mass of solid material and a gasiform substance, at

elevated temperatures, and it is amon the 6 objects of the invention toprovide e. cient heatin and control conditions. A further object 1s toprovide for removing refuse from the site of reaction. Other ob ects andadvantages will appear as the description' proceeds. 1

To the accomplishment of theforegoing and related objects, theinvention, then, con sists ofthe features hereinafter fully described,and articularly pointed out in the claims, the f0 lowing description andthe" annexed' drawing settingforth in detail certain constructionembodying the invention, the] illustrative form shown however being butone of the various ways in which the princi 1e of the invention may beapplied.

1 11 said annexed drawin Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of one formof apparatus in accordance with the invention; and Fig. 2 is a sectionalview taken on a plane at right angles to that shown in i i Fig. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference character 1designatesa reaction chamber adapted to contain heated solid materialthrou h which a gasiform substance is passed. uch reaction chamber ispreferably of a separable or removable form, and may be tubular, eitherof circular or elliptical or other cross section. Preferably thesereaction chambers may be made of ceramic material although in some:cases I contem late meta Below the reaction chamher, an if desired,forming more or less of a sup ort also therefor is a clean-out chamber2. ile this may be a masonry construction, preferably it will 'be ofconstructionsimilar to the reaction chambers 1, as regards material. Adoor 3 afl'ords access. A plurality of reaction chambers or retorts 1,each with its clean-out chamber, are massed in a common setting, aheating flue system being provided about the various unit's. A

a tubularremovab e chamber, may be set on the clean-out base 2 similarlyto the reaction chambers. On the inner wall of the. va-

porizin vessel 4 is a spiral vaporizing gutter 5, t e liquid to bevaporized bein introduced thereto through a trapped'in et 6, suppliedfrom a valve-controlled pipe 7. The heating flue also surrounds thevaporizing chambers, baflles being arranged to suitably divert theheating gaseous current about the reaction chambers 1, and thevaporizing vessels 4, and the clean-out chambers 2. As a preferred meansof heating; the assembly,

, there may be embodied in the setting a producer 9- for as supply, suchproducer having a charging inlet 10 and clean-out 11, and delivering itsgas through a duct 12 to mixin passages 13 where air, preferablypreheate is brought into relation with the gas-for combustion. A systemof ltransverse-baflles 14 may be arranged to diptribute the heat, asrequired. For preheat mg the inlet air, an exchanger or recuperator maybe incorporated in the settin and this may include .an air intakeconduit 15 in heat exchange relation with a discharge flue 16 for theflueases on their, way to the stack. Surmounting the reaction chambers 1are 'heads 17 having char ing inlets 18; and offtakes 19 are arrangeleading off to a condenser or absorber system, not shown.

The heads 17 may be of sufliciently largesize to-act as magazines forthe material for the retorts. a v

Where solid material and a gas'form substance "are subjected to high'tem eratures, whether the solid material be in the nature of acatalytic mass or as a direct reactant with a gasiform substance, themass in the reaction chambers is heated by means of the flue system, andthe gasiform substance is supplied fronf the Vaporizers 4 through thebase-c ambers 2 so as to enter below and traverse the column .of heatedsolid, and the gasiform products produced are taken 011' at the ofitakes19 to thecondenser or absorber system. In the case ofcarbon disulphidemanufacture, the reaction chambers 1 are filled wlth carbon, preferablyin the form of charcoal, and are'maintained at a temperature of redheat. Sulphur previously melted in a steam heated receptacle not shown,and forwarded through pipe 7, is flowed into the Vaporizers 4 where theliquid is vaporized, and the vapors thence pass to the retorts and passupwardly therein to react with the hot charcoal, and the CS is taken offat the ofitake 19.. From time to time refuse in the form of ash from thecarbonaceous material is raked out from the clean-out chambers 2, thedoors being opened temporarily for this purpose. In this manner,since'what ash is formed is at the base of thecolumn of carbon, it maybe kept from accumulating to hinder reaction. As the mass of carbon isused up at the bottom, the column settles down and is replenished byfeeding in at the top 18 in accordance with the requirements.

By combining in a consolidated setting a plurality of reaction-chamberunits, vaporizers and clean-out chambers and a gas producer orgenerator, heat is kept in the system, and uniformity and efiiciency ofoperation is realized in high degree.

The bafiling may be so arranged that by burning gas in the finessurrounding the reaction chambers 1, and returning the partly spentproducts of combustion around the vaporizing vessel 4, the former may beheated to a greater degree than the latter; and similarly by burning thegas in' the flues about the vaporizing vessel and reversing thedirection of the flow ofthe products of combustion, the vaporizingvessels may be heated more than the reaction chambers. by burning gas inboth sets of passages, with flow either in parallel or series, desireddivision of the total heat supplied may-be secured as between thereaction chambers and the vaporizing vessels.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed,cliangebeing made as regards the details disclosed, provided the meansstated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such beemployed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as myinvention 1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination ofan externally heated vertically disposed tubular reaction chamber, anenternallyheated vertically disposed tubular vaporizing vessel, and anexternally heated horizontally disposed clean-out chamber below saidreaction chamber and vaporizing vessel, separate therefrom andcommunicating therewith.

2. Inapparatus of the character described, the combination ofavertically disposed tubular reaction chamber, a "verticallydisposedtubular vaporizing vessel, heating means for externally heating saidreaction chamber and vaporizing vessel, and an externally heatedhorizontally disposed clean-out chamberbelow said reaction chamber andvaporizing vessel, separate therefrom and communicating therewith, saidreaction chamber and Eurther,

vaporizing vessel bein removable vertically without dismantlin t eheating means.

3. In apparatus 0 the character described,

the combination of a plurality of externally heated reaction chambers,and a like plurality of externally heated vaporizing vessels, each saidreaction chamber and vaporizing vessel resting in pairs uponhorizontally disposed clean-out chambers and communicating therewith. 4.In apparatus of the character described, the combination of a pluralityof externally heated reaction chambers, a like plurality of externallyheated vaporizing vessels, each said reaction chamber and vaporizingvessel resting upon a horizontally disposed cleanout chamber andcommunicating therewith, and a supply conduit'in common for feedingmolten sulphur to said vaporizing vessels.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of acombustion chamber arranged for the combustion of gases, a plurality ofsets of vertically disposed tubular bers therebelow connected therewith,all set in said combustion chamber, and. means to control thedistribution of heat thereto, said means comprising bafiles to leadfurnace gases back and-forth in a rising zig-zag path in heatingrelation to said chambers and vessels.

6. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of alurality of sets of vertically disposed tubu ar reaction chambers,vertically disposed vaporizing vessels and horizontally 'disposedclean-out chambers therebelow, each said clean-out chamber supportingand communicating with a said reaction chamber and vaporizing vessel,said plurality of sets of chambers and vessels being positioned in agas-fired-furn'ace including therein bafiles to lead heating gases backand forth in a rising zig-zag path in heating .posed first-mentionedchamber and vessel and communicating therewith, means for- I supplyingcharcoal to said reaction chamber and means for supplying sulphur to saivaporizing chamber.

8. imappafatus for making carbon disulphide, the combination of avertically disposed reaction chamber, a vessel for supplying. sulphur,vapor to-the reaction chamber, and including an inclined gutter, aseparate horizontally disposed clean-out chamber be low and supportingsaid first mentioned chamber and vessel .and communicating sale.

' face and bein therewith, means for supplying charcoal to in connectionwith said flue system and in the said reaction chamber, and means forsupsamesetting.

plyin sulphur to. said va orizing chamber.

9. En apparatus for ma phide, the combination of a p urality ofvertically disposed tubular reaction chambers and separate verticallydisposed tubular sulphur vaporizing vessels, separate horizontallydisposed clean-outchambers therebelow, each said clean-out chambersupporting a reaction chamber and a vaporizing vessel and communicatingtherewith, means for supplying sulphur to said vaporizing. chamrs, andmeans for heating t e entire a paratus, said means including a producer0 hot combustible gas, and a flue system for supplying the same aboutsaid chambers and vessels.

10. In apparatus for making carbon disulphide, a plurality of-sets ofcarbon disulphide producin units, each including a vertically disposevessel to vaporize sul hur, and a' vertically disposed tubular cham- Berto contain charcoal, said chamber and vessel being above andcommunicating with a separate horizontally disposed clean-out chamberadapted to lead sulphur vapors from said vaporizing vesselvto saidreaction chamber and to accumulate and permit removal' of ash, heatingme'ansin the same settin including a gas producer, a recuperator,- andpassa ways to lead the heated s back and orth in a rising zig-zag pat inheating relation with said chambers and ves- 11. In apparatus of thecharacter described, a su phu'r vacporizin chamber comispose I gutter. v

12. In a paratus for making carbon disulphide, t e combination in asingle setting, of a gas reducer, recuperator, vertically dispose tuular ceramic reaction chamber, a yertically dis osed tubular. ceramicsulphur vafiiarizing c amber having upon its inner w portingsaidreaction chamber and'said s'u1 bur-vaporizing chamber andcommunicatmg therewith;

13. In apparatus of the. character described, the combination of aplurality of tubular reaction chambers, a cleanout chamher on which eachreaction chamber is set,

means for supplying vapors, said means including a spiral gutter adaptedto receive a liquid at its upper end and a tubular walled vesselcarrying said gutter on its inner surmounted also on each said clean-outcham r horizontally-bathed heatng flues about reaction chambers,vaporizing vessels and cle'amout chambers, and means for suppl .ng tosaid flues a hot combustible gas, sai means including a producer carbondisul- 1927.

tubular vessel surface a spiral gutter, and a' horizon-'- tally disposedceramic cleanout chamber sup- Signed by me this 14th day of January,

' THOMAS GRISWOLD, JR.

